A local writer argues that development is putting the unique character of Palm Springs in peril by taking advantage of the city's Planned Development Districts.
Frank Tysen writes a scathing op-ed about an ongoing threat to the character of the city of Palm Springs: the Planned Development District (PDD). "The idea is to allow difficult to develop projects to proceed by providing some zoning concessions in exchange for clearly stated public benefits," writes Tysen. "Unfortunately, those benefits are usually very superficial and meaningless."
The consequence of the PDD in Palm Springs, according to Dysen, is a wave of new developers, "many from Orange County, who only see this city as a cash cow," because "We have basically become a town without zoning and planning."
Tysen supplies a list of the business and places that have disappeared from Palm Springs that he believes made the city unique. The solution to this encroachment of development, Tysen believes, is "to get the PDD monster under control."
FULL STORY: Is Palm Springs destined to become Orange County?
California Continues its Housing Policy Reinvention
It’s no longer business as usual in California when it comes to planning and developing housing.
How to Make NIMBYs Part of the Solution
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The Theory of NIMBYism, Part 2
Homeowners' desire for more expensive land does not justify the "NIMBY veto" over new development.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions